lawbreaking

1 a breaking of a moral or legal code even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking Synonyms breach, crime, debt, error, offense, malefaction, misdeed, misdoing, sin, transgression, trespass, violation, wrongdoingRelated Words bias crime, hate crime; felony, misconduct, misdemeanor, misfeasance; fault, foible, peccadillo; break, infringement; immorality, iniquitousness, iniquity, sinfulness, vice, wickedness; corruption, debauchery, depravity, licentiousness; abuse, criminality, illegality, lawlessness, unlawfulness; descent, downfall, fallNear Antonyms blamelessness, faultlessness, guiltlessness, impeccability, innocence, irreproachability; goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue, virtuousnessAntonyms noncrime

2 activities that are in violation of the laws of the state an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war Synonyms criminality, crime, lawlessnessRelated Words outlawry; gangsterism, hooliganism, racketeering; malfeasance, misconduct; wrongdoing; evil, immorality, sin, wickedness; corruption, depravity; malefaction, misdeed, misdoing, offense (or offence), transgression, trespass